Tag: Wow chips

In 1998, Frito-Lay introduced a line of 'fat-free' snack chips called Wow! that were initially a massive commercial success, generating $400 million in sales during their first year. The secret ingredient was Olean, also known as Olestra, a synthetic fat that promised all the taste of fried food without the calories. However, this culinary innovation quickly became a health controversy, leading to its widespread public rejection and discontinuation in many markets.

In the late 1990s, Frito-Lay released its WOW! line of fat-free chips, which were initially a massive commercial success, generating $400 million in sales during their first year. These chips, alongside Procter & Gamble's fat-free Pringles, were cooked using olestra, a calorie-free fat substitute. This success was short-lived, however, as a wave of consumer complaints about unpleasant side effects led to the product's downfall.

In 1998, WOW! chips containing the fat substitute Olean generated over $400 million in sales during their debut year, yet within a few years, these controversial snacks were pulled from shelves. The public was fascinated by what chips have Olean in them, but their notorious gastrointestinal side effects ultimately led to their demise.

In 1998, Frito-Lay's WOW! chips, made with the fat substitute olestra, generated over $400 million in first-year sales, appearing to be a revolutionary snack for the diet-conscious. However, this period of soaring popularity was short-lived, as the fat-free product became widely known for its unfortunate gastrointestinal side effects.

According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), in the late 1990s, the "Light" version of Doritos, known as Wow! chips, were fried in the fat substitute olestra. This synthetic ingredient was a significant part of the snack's history but is no longer present in today's Doritos products.

In the late 1990s, Ruffles 'Light' chips, along with other Frito-Lay 'WOW!' products, contained olestra, a controversial zero-calorie fat substitute that caused widespread digestive issues. While the additive promised guilt-free snacking, it was eventually phased out due to persistent public complaints and health concerns. Today's Ruffles products are made with conventional vegetable oils, not olestra, which was largely discontinued from the Frito-Lay lineup.

In 1998, Frito-Lay’s WOW! chips, fried in the zero-calorie fat substitute olestra, generated an impressive $400 million in sales during their first year. However, this instant success was short-lived, leaving many to wonder **why were olestra chips discontinued** just a few years later.

After generating thousands of FDA complaints and triggering a major public controversy, the fat substitute Olestra is no longer a staple of the American diet. Introduced in the 1990s as a way to enjoy fat-free snacks without calories, the question **is Olestra still used** today is a common query, but its use in consumer products has been effectively discontinued due to widespread side effects and bad press.